Wire bending apparatus



May 21, 1957 L, TALBOT ETAL WIRE'. BENDING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet l Y Filed March 2o, 195s May 2l, l1957 L. TALBOT ETAL WIRE BENDING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1953 L. TALBOT ETAL WIRE BENDING APPARATUS May 21, 1957 l Filed March 20, 19.53

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Filed March 20, 1953 May 21, 1957 v l.. TALBOT ETAL 2,792,852

` WIRE BENDINGAPPARATUS Filed Maren 2o, 195s s sheets-sheet 5 .May 2l, 1957 TALBOT ETAL WIRE BENDING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1955 May 21, 1957 l.. TALBOT r-:rAL 2,792,852

WIRE BENDING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 19.53 9 sheets-sheet 7 wav/weg@ Mgy 21, 1957 TALBoT ETAI.

WIRE BENDING- APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 20, 195s May 2l, 1957 L. TALBOT ETAL 2,792,352

' WIRE BENDING APPARATUS Filed March 20. 1953 9 sheets-sheet 9 mwN 1 wvwmm United States Patent O wnus BENDING APPARATUS Lloyd Talbot and Byard D. Simpson, Chicago, lll., as-

signors to Cedar Rapids Block Co., a corporation of Iowa Application March 20, 1953, serial No. 343,636

7 claims. (ci. 14o- 71) l This `invention relates to a bending apparatus and more particularly to a machine for bending wire.

It is the general object of this invention to produce a new and improved bending machine.

While it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the features of the machine of this invention may be utilized for bending wire into a variety of shapes, it is particularly adapted for use in feeding a plurality of lengths of wire, bending one of the wires, Welding the bent wire to another of the wires and then measuring and cutting off the welded wires into predetermined lengths.

One of the features of the invention is the provision of a bending machine having a pair of bending arms pivotally connected together to form a bending knee together with means for feeding a length of wire to the arms to be retained thereon as the knee is flexed to produce a bend in the wire together with means for preventing damage to the pivotal connection betweenthe arms when the same are returned to a substantially linearly aligned position. A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for lifting a length of bent wire from the bending knee to permit it to be fed forwardly along the machine. Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of means for moving the bent wire and another wire into the space between a pair of welding heads together with means for moving the heads together to contact the wires and weld them together. v

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a novel form of welding means particularly adaptable for use in the machine of the invention which includes a pair of grooved welding heads, with the grooves being proportioned to engage a wire so that when the heads are moved together and the wires thus brought into contact with each other they may be welded to form a completed device which has a thickness no greater than the thickness of one of the wires.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of a support for the welded wires which is provided with a cutter to cut the welded wires into predetermined lengths together with push-off means associated with the support for pushing oft` a cut length of welded wire onto a storage or receiving device.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a suitable electrical and pneumatic circuit for cyclically operating the machine to produce automatic operation, cutting and push-off of the wires.

Other and further features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed side view showing the manner in which the wires are welded together;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the wire shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-'5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged` detailed .plan of the wire bending and welding part of the machine; p

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line. 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view of the wire bending arms;.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the completed wire device; A

Fig. 10 is a plan elevation of the bending apparatus of the machine; p, g

Fig. 11 is a view like Fig. 10 showing the bending arms in a different position;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 12-12 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a view like Fig. 8 of the completed wire device when the machine is set for a slightly different operation;

Fig. 14 is a plan elevational View of :a portion of the welding apparatus for welding the wires together;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view along line 15--15 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view along line 16-16 of Fig. 15

Fig. 17 is an isometric view of the welding heads;

`Fig. 18 is an enlarged isometric detailed view of one of `the welding heads;

Fig. 19 is an isometric view of the mechanism for elevating the wires after the completion of the welding op eration;

Fig. 20 is an end elevational view of the push-off mechanism; and

FignZl is a schematic diagram showing the electrical and pneumatic circuits for operating the machine. Y

f 1Berthe purposes of exemplary embodiment the features of the invention are shown as incorporated into a machine for making welded reinforcing devices suitable to be embedded in mortar, for example in the mortar holding concrete blocks together, as a reinforcement. While the invention is shown in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to Fig; l, the machine comprises a mechanism for feeding three wires simultaneously, such mechanism being generally designated by the letter A, with the wires being fedto a bending mechanism B and a welding mechanism, generally designated C. In the bending and welding mechanism one of the three wires fed to the machine is bent in the form of a series of Vs and subsequently welded to two other wires at the apices of the V. The completed welded wire is then fedto cutoff mechanisms, generally designated DA and D', for cutting the wires into predetermined lengths suitable for use as a reinforcing device for concrete or mortar and particularly for reinforcing mortar courses in concrete block sequently pushed .off the table by Ithe pusher mechanism E and E. If lengths greater than the distance between the two cutters D and D' are desired, the cutter D may be deactivated and the principal purpose of employing two cutters is to speed the operation so `that two lengths are cut simultaneously. If such `speed is not `desired the cutter mechanism and push-off mechanism D and E may be omitted.

The wires are fed from three supply spools 30, 31

and 32each"rotatably` monntedon pdestals, such as the pedestals 33 and 34. Three lengths of wire 35, 36 and 37 are fed from each of the spools through straightening apparatus, generally designated 33, which may comprise the usual form of a plurality `of rollers for bending each Wire back and forth aV plurality of -times so tha-t it emerges as a substantially straight length.

A reciprocating feed mechanism, generally designated 40, is vprovided for intermittently feeding predetermined lengths of each of the wires into the bending and welding apparatus B and C. As shown in Fig. 6, the feed mechanism comprises an angle iron 41 secured at one end to a push rod 42 reciprocably c-arried in the machine, with the other end of the angle iron being provided with a roller 43 adapted to roll in a track 44 secured to the frame. Also .secured to the push rod 42 is a second 'angle iron 45. The angle iron 41 i-s provided with a pairof gripping means 46 and 47 each of which is provided with a plurality of gripping dogs 4S and 49 adapted to grip the wires 35 and 37 to move the wires in a feed direction. The dogsrare pivotally mounted on the gripping means so as to be able to slide over the wires in the opposite direction without imparting movement thereto. Therangle iron 45 is also provided with gripping means indicated at 50 similarly constructed to the gripping means 46 and 47, with the means 50 being adapted to feed the central wire 36. Reciprocation of the push rod 42 and hence reciprocation of the feeding means is accomplished through a pneumatic .piston and cylinder device including a cylinder 51 having a piston rod 52 connected to a piston therein, with the rod being connected to the .angle iron 41 as shown. Valve means later to be described are provided for introducing air under pressure alternately to the opposite ends of the cylinder 51 to cause reciprocation of the piston therein. The piston 51 is mounted on a U channel 53 secured at its outer end toV a plate 54 in turn connected to a stationary part of the frame 55.

The bending means for the machine is mounted on a plate 60 secured to a stationary part of the frame and includes an upstanding member 61 provided with a vertical cylindrical bearing62 rotatably supporting a shaft 6 3`which carries at its upper end one end of a bending arm 64. The other end of the arm 64 is pivotally connected at 65 to a second bending arm 66 rotatably supported at `i-ts other end on a shaft 67. The shaft 67 is mounted in a movable slide 68 slidably held in grooves 69 provided in a pair of upstanding plates 70 mounted on `opposite sides of the frame. The plates 70 are secure-d to the plate 64 by bolts 71 as shown.

Referring now to Figs. 10 and 11, the central wire 36 to be bent is fed into the ben-ding arms when the arms 64 and 66 are linearly aligned as shown in Fig. 10. The wire 36 -is held in the arms between guide blocks 72 `and 73 mounted at one end of the arm 64 and a further guide block 74 mounted at the other end of the arm 64. The arm 66 is also provided with la pair of guide 'blocks 75 and 76 mounted at the end adjacent the pivot 65 and a second pair of guide blocks 77 and 78 mounted adjacent the pivot 67.

After the wire 36 has been 'fed to the arms 64 and 65 and is retained in position thereon between the guide blocks just described, means are provided for then pivoting the arms to the position shown in Fig. 1l to bend the wire 36 into the desired V shape. For this purpose there is provided a power plate 80 secured at one end to the end of the arm 66 adjacent the pivot 67, with the plate being provided'wi-th push plate 81 pivotally secured at 82 to `a piston rod 83 secured to a piston reciprocable in a pneumatic cylinder 84. As the piston in the cylinder 84 is moved to the left to move the piston rod 83 to the left (as seen in Fig. l1), the arms are moved to thelposition shown in that ligure, vwith the arms 64 pivoting about the stationary pivot 63 and the arm v66 pivoting about its pivot 67, with such pivot at'thesame'. time 4 being moved toward the stationary pivot by sliding movement of its supporting block 68.

Should the wire 36 be bent by the arms only to the desired degree of bend, it is clear that upon return movement of the arms the wire, by its resiliency, would have a tendency to return at least partially to its initial shape. Accordingly means are provided for overbending the wire at each angle during the bending operation so that it will retain the V shape desired.

=To provide an overbend at the pivot point 65 the arms are actually moved so as to produce a bend of the wire at that point greater than the nal desired angle. Thus as the piston rod 83 is moved to the left (as seen in Fig. ll) the power plate S0 contacts a rod 85 which is slidably supported in bearings 86 and 86 carried by a stationary plate 87. Secured to the rod 85 is an adjustable collar 8S against which one end of a compression spring 89 bears, with the other end of the spring contacting the bearing 86. When the arms have been moved to produce the greatest desired degree of bend, the spring 89 is compressed so -that when pressure is relieved in the cylinder '84 the spring 89 serves to move the arms slightly in the reverse direction, thus permitlting the wire to lie loosely between the guides so that it may be su-bsequently lifted out of the guide blocks and shifted longitudinally along the machine.

There is also provided an overbending member 90 provided with a' finger portion 91 adapted to contact the portion of the wire 36 just -beyond the end of the arm 64. The overbending member 90 is ixed to ya member 92 rotatably supported on the shaft 63 and pivotally connected to an arm 93 pivoted at 94 to a second arm 95 secured to the bending larm 66. Thus as the bent arms are operated from the position shown in Fig. 10 to the position shown in Fig. 1l, the member 92 is rotated clockwise (as viewed in Fig. ll) to bring the linger 91 into contact with the wire to increase the bend at the pvot point 63. The degree of overbend achieved during this operation may be adjusted depending upon the amount required to retain the wire in the desired shape and for this purpose the bending member 90 is pivotally secured at 96 to the member 92 and Vis provided with a second finger 97 held between la pair of yadjustable stops in the form of screws or bolts 98 and 99 threadably engaging upstanding plates 100 and 101 secured to the plate 92. By rotating the bolts 98 and 99 in opposite directions the finger 97 can be shifted thus to pivotthe bending .member 90 about its pivot 96, thereby adjustably positioning the finger 91 relative to the wire.

The other end of the portion of the wire 36 being bent is also overbent during the bending openation and for this purpose there is provided an overbending block 10S carrying a bending linger 106, with the block being rotatably supported on a shaft 107 carried in ya bushing 108 secured to the block 68. The 4block 105 is provided with a laterally extending portion 109 adapted to contact an adjustable bolt 110 threaded into a block 111 fixed to the plate 60. As the block 68 slides to the left, as shown in Figs. ll and 12, the' portion 109 contacts the bolt 110 to rotate such portion and thus to move the bending linger 106 against the wire to produce an overbend at that point. After the overbending operation just de` scribed and upon return movement of the block 68, the bending member 105 is rotated back to its normal position under the urging of a return spring 112 and against an adjustable stop 113 secured to the block 68.

The power -plate 80 is provided with an aligning plate 114 ixedly secured thereto adapted to contact an adjusting bolt 115 threadably received in a iitting 116 secured to the frame. Rotation of the bolt 115 Awill serve to move the plate 80 and thus slightly shift eachy of the arms 64 and 66 so as to provide means for aligning lthe arms in linear yrelationship and Vthus to permit `the wire 36 to be fed to the guide blocks thereon without ditlculty.

To also serve as a stop when the arms are moved to their linearly aligned position there is provided on the upstanding plate 61 'a iin-ger 117 having a threaded opening to receive an adjusting bolt 118 adapted to contact a finger portion 119 forming a part of the member 92. Thus as the arms are moved to linearly aligned position the finger 119 contacts the bolt 118 at substantially the same `time that the plate 114 contacts the bolt 115. ln addition to providing means for linearly aligning the arms the two stop means, namely the plate 114 and bolt 115, and the finger 119 and bolt 118, also serve to prevent a snapping action at the pivot point 65 of the arms and thus the force which would otherwise be exerted thereon when the arms are return-ed rapidly to linearly aligned position is absorbed by the two Stop means rather than the pivot.

The degree of bend of the bending arms and hence the amount of bending of the wires 36 may be varied. Thus the .machine may be used to form a reinforcing device of the type shown in Fig. 9 or, -by producing a lesser degree of bend, a reinforcing device may be produced such as the one shown in Fig. 13 including the wires 35', 36 and 37. By varying the length of the arms 64 and 66 the degree of bend andthe spaces between the apices of the V formed in the central wire may be varied as Well as Vthe spacing between the outer wires.

When the portion of theI Wire held in the arms has been bent by the means just described, other means areprovided for lifting the bent portion of the wire out of the guide blocks so that the subsequent feeding operation can be accomplished without interference.

' As best shofwn in Fig. 19, the means for lifting the Wire out of. the guide block` includes a frame 120 mounted forvertical reciprocationin the stationary part of the machine on a pair of rods 121 and 122 slidably mounted in bearings 123 and 124, with the bearings being secured to plates 125 and 126 secured to the stationary frame. The lower end of each of the rods is provide-d with a.

cam follower 127 and 128 each adapted to contact cams` 129 and 130 secured to a rotatably mounted actuating shaft 131. The shaftis oscillated to produce alternatel rise and fall of the frame 1-20 and is therefore provided. at one end with an arm 132 pivotally secured to a` piston rod 133 secured to a piston reciprocablein a pneumatic piston. and cylinder device 134.

The frame 120 extends across the machine and is pro vided with a pair of parallel side portions 135 and 136 which support a plate 137- which is divided at one end into a pair of legs 138 and 139,. each of.which is secured to the side member 135. A keeper plate 140 isspaced above the plate 137 and secured thereto through the medium of a plurality of spacing blocks 141, thereby to provide a slot 142 therebetween. The wires 35 and 36 are fed through the slot 142 While the wire 37 is positioned laterally outwardly ofthekeeper plate 140.

Also carried by thevmovable frame 120 is a stripper finger 143 pivotally securedto a bracket 144 mounted on the movable frame and urged against therguideblockfs 77 and 78 by means ofv a spring 145 asshown `in Fig. 6. Theiinger. 143 is. positioned to` underlie" the Wire 36 when it is held in the.bending arms `and by reason of its pivotal mounting may move as` the arms are moved. tobend thewire.. l y t 44lt/[eans-a're provided for introducing' compressed air intofrcylinder=134 to-oscillate-the shaft 131 and thus to raise the frame `120upon the completion of the bending operation..- Upou such upward movement of the movable framethe plate. 137 contacts the bent wire 36 and thus` lifts it from the spaces between the guideslots provided.

onxthezarms, Withthe stripper` nger 143 lifting the `wire from; betweenithe: guide blocks 77? .and 78, `thereby to` free. the: bent wire: from' theifarms `.for subsequent feeding movement longitudinally of the bending machine b"y the feed means previously described. Y

From the bending means B the wires are fed to the welding means C wherein means are provided for welding the bent wire at the apex of each of the Vs formed therein to the edge wires 35 and 37. As best shown in Fig. 14, the welding means comprise a rst pair of weld; ing heads and 151 each carried by slide blocks 152 and 153, respectively, and a second pair of welding heads 154 and 155 each carried by slide blocks 156 and 157, respectively.

Referring now to Figs. 15418, the manner of mounting and moving the slide blocks and welding heads and the construction thereof will be described. AAs the two pairs of welding heads and their .associated slide plates are similarly constructed, the construction only 'of one pair, namely the blocks 156 and 157, will be described in detail.

The blocks 156 and 157 comprise substantially cubicle blocks of metal, with the block 157 being secured as by welding to a slide plate 160 adjustably mounted on side plates 161 and 162. To retain the plate 160 in adjusted position there is provided a pair of clamping angles 163 and 164 which may be tightened against the plates by bolts, as shown in Fig. 16. The plate 160 is solid from edge to edge at the location of the block 157 but is cut away .at its central portion at the location of the block 156 so as to provide a slide space indicated at 165 between the two opposed lateral edges of the plate. Sliding in this space is the block 156 which is provided with a pair' of slide blocks 166 secured to opposite sides thereof adapted slidably to engage the top surface of the plate 160 so that the block 156 may be :moved relative thereto.

For sliding the block 156 the same is connected to a piston rod 167 secured to a piston operating in a pneumatic piston and cylinder device 168. A similar piston and cylinder device, generally indicated at 170, is secured to the block 153 for the same purpose.

The welding head 154 is secured to a block of insulation 171 inset into the block 156, with the welding head being connected to .a source of electrical current through the wires 172 which extend through the block. The WeldingV head 154 is provided with an arcuate groove 173 shaped so as to contact the inner surface of the wire 36 at the apex of the V formed therein and to move the same against the wire 37 held in a linear groove 174 formed inthe welding head 155. A vertical groove 175 is also provided in the head 155 which intersects the horizontal groove 174 so as to permit any welding ashing to escape.

The purpose of mounting the blocks 152 and 157 on slide plates is to permit lateral adjustment of these blocks and hence lateral adjustment of the welding heads carried thereby so that the machine may be used to form wire reinforcement of different widths.

When the wires are fed from the bending mechanism C to the welding mechanism D and are stopped in position with the apices of the Vs to be welded adjacent each pair oi welding heads, means are provided for forcing the wires downwardly into the space between the head. For this purpose the top plate 140 (Fig. 19) is provided-with a lip 18@` positioned to overlie the wires 35 and 36 and thus as the movable frame 120is moved downwardly by l.the means previously described, the lip contacts both of said wires and moves them downwardly into the .space between the welding heads 150 andl4 151, it beingl understood that at this point in the operation of the machine the block 153, and hence the welding head 151, has been retracted by the piston and cylinder device 120. The movable plate also carries a transverse plate 181 which is also provided with a lip portion 182 adapted to overlie the wires 36 and 37 and th'usV to contact the same and move them downwardly between the welding heads 154 and 1755 as the movable frame 120 moves down'- w;ardly. Thus, as indicated above, plate 137Y and finger 1,4 3 -serveas first pressing means for moving the bent wire laterally upwardly `from the guide blocks of the bending means and lips 180 and 182 serve as second pressing means for moving the bent wire laterally downwardly into the welding head spaces.

`After the completion of the welding operation the welded lengths of wires are fed to the cutting mechanisms D and D and kick-off mechanisms E and E. Leaving the welding apparatus C the welded lengths of wire enter a guide chute 190 having spaced upper and lower plates 191 and 192 forming a slot 193 into which the wires are fed. Immediately beyond the slot 193 is a iirst wire cutting mechanism 19S of usual construction and provided with a cutting blade for simultaneously cutting all three wires. The. second cutting mechanism is similarly constructed so that upon operation the reinforcing device is cut to predetermined lengths. The kick-oit mechanisms comprise tables 200 and 201 which are similarly coni structed. Referring to Fig. 20, the table 200 is supported above the tloor on suitable supporting columns 202. Secured to the base 203 of the supporting columns is a pneumatic lpiston and cylinder device 204 having a piston rod 205 pivotally connected to one end 206 of a crank lever secured to a shaft 207 rotatably mounted in journals 208 provided on the supports 202 and extending substan tially the length of the table 200. Also secured to the shaft 208 is an arm having an upwardly extending portion 210 and a generally horizontally extending portion 211. Adjustably secured to the portion 211 is a push-off mechanism forming spaced guide means for the welded wires together with a linger 212 extending downwardly beneath the table through a slot 213 formed therein. The guide means is in the form of a U channel 214 secured to the outer end of the portion 211 and a guide channel 215 adjustably secured to the top of the table 200. After the cutting operation has been completed and a predetermined length of wire reinforcement now rests on the table 200 between the channels 214 and 215, the pneumatic piston and :cylinder device 204 is operated to move the arm from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 20 to the position shown in dotted lines and thus to move the pusher finger 212 and lchannel 214 to the dotted position shown. As the wire 35 clears the edge of the table 200 yit falls downwardly so that the welded device swings in an arc as shown. A plurality of storage arms 220 are provided along a line parallel with the tables 200 and 201 and are positioned so as to be received in the spaces between the wires and thus catch the wires as they fall from the channel 214. The arms 220 may be on movable racks or on a conveyor as desired.

It will be noted by a reference to Figs. 3-5 that during the welding operation the bent wire 36 does not overlie the wire 35 (or the wire 37) but rather is pressed against the inner lsurface thereof so that the welded reinforcement lies substantially between parallel planes defined by the upper and lower surfaces of the outer wires. Preferably the bent wire 36 has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the two outer wires so that any distortion due to the welding will not expand it beyond the diameter of the wire 35.

The wire bending and welding machine of this inven tion is substantially automatic in operation and for this purpose an electrical control circuit and a pneumatic actuating circuit are provided and combined so as to produce cyclical operation of the various parts of the machine previously described.

Upon initiating the operation of the machine the wires 35, 36 and 37 are fed through to the feed dogs 46, 47 and 50 by hand. With the wires in place the master switch 219 is closed connecting the electrical circuit shown in Fig. 21 with a suitable source of power. For simplicity of explanation, the description of the electrical and pneumatic circuits will be undertaken to describe the operation of the circuits during one of the operating cycles of the machine. For this purpose it is assumed that bent and welded together and fed through to the cutting.

table and kick-off apparatus. As the welded strip of reinforcing material is fed across the cut-off table the strip contacts the center terminal 220 of a switch to bring such terminal into contact with a second terminal 221. Upon closing of the contacts 220-221 the motor DM of the cutting mechanism D is energized to cut the strip therebeneath on the table. Switch 222 is momentarily closed at the initiation of operation of the motor DM but immediately opened because of the operation of the cam wheel 222:1 and the switch remains open until the cutter D' has completed its cutting operation at which time the cam wheel 222a will be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2l, closing switch 222, thereby energizing the cutting motor DM associated with the cutter D. This cutter then serves to cut the other end of the device and it is also provided with a cam 22351 rotated to the position shown upon the conclusion of the cutting operation to close the contacts of vswitch 223. Switch 223 energizes a relay 224 to move its contacts 224:1 to the position shown in solid lines. When in this position the solenoid 225 is energized to operate a valve 226 associated with the push-off or kick-off cylinder 224. Operation of this cylinder serves to swing the arm 211 and thus to drop off the cut length of reinforcing material onto the storage arms 220. When the piston and cylinder device 204 has completed its stroke, an arm 227 carried by the piston rod 206 closes a switch 228 to energize solenoid 229, thereby moving the valve 226 to a position returning the piston and cylinder device to its initial position. At the time the strip was pushed from the table the contacts 220 and 221 opened, de-energizing the relay 224 and thus moving the switch arm 224a upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines to bridge the contacts shown. The central terminal 220 then is in contact with a switch terminal 221g. When the switch arm 224a bridges the contacts, solenoid 230 is energized serving to operate valve 231 associated with the movable frame cylinder 134 and thus to lower the movable frame from its up position shown.

The movable frame carries an arm 232 which, when in the up position shown, closes a switch 233 but when the frame moves downwardly permits that switch to open and closes a second switch 234. When switch 234 is closed solenoid 235 is energized and serves to operate a valve 236 for the feed cylinder 51 to move the feeding mechanism on its return or idling stroke. Closing of the switch 234 also operates a solenoid 238 through the switch arm 237a of a relay 237, with the solenoid 238 being connected to operate a valve 239 associated with the bending arm cylinder 84. This operation of the valve serves to introduce air under pressure into the cylinder 84 to provide a bend in the wire 36 held in the bending arms.

Simultaneously with the energization of Ithe solenoid 238, solenoid 240 is energized to operate a valve 241 to introduce air into each of the piston and cylinder devices associated with the welding heads, only the cylinder 168 being shown. Introduction of air into each of such cylinders moves the welding heads toward each other to grip a wire therein.

During the welding operation the feed cylinder is returning on *its idle stroke and when it reaches the end of its stroke it closes a switch 242 through the medium of a contact arm 242a carried by the transverse plate 45.

The welding apparatus shown in Fig. 1 includes a pressure responsive switch for feeding current to each of the welding heads to effect a weld of the wires held therein when the pressure in the piston and cylinder devices associated therewith reaches a predetermined amount. The current is maintained through the welding heads for a period determined by a timing switch and then is closed off. Such timing and pressure responsive switches are well known in apparatus of this type and are not shown inthe drawings vbut may be enclosed in the housing forr the electrical part of the welding apparatus shown in Fig. 6. i f

When the bendingarms reach the full extent of their bending stroke, a switch 244 is closed by an actuating arm 244a carried by the block 68 to shift the relay switch arm 237 (through normally closed stop switch 2442;) from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines, thus energizing solenoid 245 to move the movable frame 120 upwardly, opening switch 234 and closing switch 233 while lifting the bent wires from between the guide blocks. At the same time the switch 246 is closed by the movement of the welding blocks toward each other, thus to energize relay 247 to operate the valve 241 and thus move the welding blocks apart. Simultaneously the solenoid 248 is energized to move the bending arms back toward a linear position and solenoid 250 is energized to operate valve 236 to move the feed mechanism on its forward or feeding stroke. When the welded strip on the push-ofi table moves to contact the central terminal 220 and move it into contact with the terminal 221 a subsequent cycle is initiated.

We claim:

1. In a wire bending machine having a frame: bending means comprising a first arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a second arm pivoted at one end to the other end of the first arm to form a bending knee, means for retaining a wire on the arms, means for fiexing the knee from a first position in which the arms are substantially linearly aligned to a second position in which the arms are angularly aligned by moving the other end of the second arm toward the first mentioned end of the first arm whereby to bend a length of wire retained on the arms into substantially the shape of a V, means for returning the arms to said first position, a member rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the arms to be rotated thereby with iiexure of the knee, a stop finger on the member, and a stop adjustably mounted on the frame and positionable to contact the finger as the arms reach said first position to arrest movement of the arms.

2. In a wire bending machine having a frame: bending means comprising a first arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a second arm pivoted at one end to the other end of the first arm to form a bending knee, a power plate fixed to the other end of the second arm, a piston and cylinder device connected to the power plate to fiex the knee from a first position in which the arms are substantially linearly aligned to a second position in which the arms are angularly aligned by moving the other end of the second arm toward the first mentioned end of the rst arm whereby to bend a length of wire retained on the arms into substantially the shape of a V, means for returning the arms to said f'irst position, a member rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the arms to be rotated thereby with flexure of the knee, a stop finger on the member, a first stop adjustably mounted on the frame and positionable to contact the finger, and a second stop adjustably mounted on the frame and positionable to contact the power plate, with said stops making such contacts as the arms reach said first position to arrest movement of the arms.

3. In a wire bending machine having a frame: bending means comprising a first arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a second arm pivoted at one end to the other end of the first arm to form a bending knee, means for retaining a wire on the arms, means for fiexing the knee from a first position in which the arms are substantially linearly aligned to a second position in which the arms are angularly aligned by moving the other end of the second arm toward the first mentioned end of the first arm whereby to bend a length of wire retained on the arms into substantially the shape of a V, means for returning the arms to said first position, a member rotatably mounted on the frame and connected to the arms to be rotated thereby with exure of the knee, a stop 1'0 finger on the member, a stop adjustably mounted on the frame and positionable to contact the finger as the arms reach said rst position to arrest movement of the arms, and an overbending finger carried by said member and positioned to contact the wire adjacent said one end of the first arm as the arms approach said second position to overbend the wire at'one apex of the V.

4. In a wire bending machine having a stationary frame and wire bending means on the frame including: a first arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a second arm pivoted at one end te the other end of the first arm to form a bending knee, means for retaining a wire on the arms, means for flexing the knee from a first position in which the arms are substantially linearly aligned to a second position in which the arms are angularly aligned by moving the other end of the second arm toward the first mentioned end of the first arm whereby to bend a length of wire retained on the arms into substantially the shape of a V, means for removing a bent wire from retained position on the arms comprising a second frame movably mounted on the stationary frame, a plate carried by the movable frame and overlying the first arm, a stripper finger carried by the movable frame and overlying the second arm, means for feeding a length of wire over said plate and finger and into the retaining means on the arms, and means for moving the movable frame outwardly of the arms to lift a bent wire out of said retaining means.

5 ln a wire bending machine having a stationary frame and wire bending means on the frame including: a first arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a second arm pivoted at one end to the other end of the first arm to form a bending knee, means for retaining a wire on the arms, means for flexing the knee from a first position in which the arms are substantially linearly aligned to a second position in which the arms are angularly aligned by moving the other end of the second arm toward the first mentioned end of the first arm whereby to bend a length of wire retained on the arms into substantially the shape of a V, means for removing a bent wire from retained position on the arms comprising a second frame movably mounted on the stationary frame, a plate carried by the movable frame and overlying the first arm, a second plate mounted on the movable frame in spaced parallel relation to the first mentioned plate to form therewith a guide slot, a stripper finger carried by the movable frame and overlying the second arm, means for feeding a length of wire into said slot and over said finger, and means for moving the movable frame outwardly of the arms to lift a bent wire out of said retaining means.

6. In a wire bending machine having a stationary frame and wire bending means on the frame including: a first arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a second arm pivoted at one end to the other end of the first: arm to form a bending knee, means for retaining a wire on the arms, means for flexing the knee from a first position in which the arms are substantially linearly aligned to a second position in which the arms are angularly aligned by moving the other end of the second arm toward the first mentioned end of the first arm whereby to bend a length of wire retained on the arms into substantially the shape of a V, means for removing a bent wire from. retained position on the arms comprising a second frame movably mounted on the stationary frame, a bifurcated plate carried by the movable frame and having a pair of spaced leg portions one of which overlies the first arm with the pivotal connection of the first arm to the stationary frame being located in the space between the leg portions, a second plate mounted on the movable frame in spaced parallel relation to the leg portions of the first mentioned plate to form therewith a guide slot, a stripper finger pivotally carried by the movable frame and overlying the second arm, means for feeding a length of wire into said slot and over said finger, and means for moving the movaymaaa abzleframe outwardly of the arms to lift a bent wire out of said lretaining means.

7. In a Wire working machine, means for moving a wire to permit'successive'operations on a portion thereof, comprising: a frame arranged for reeiprocation; means carried by the frame for reciprocation therewith and forming a slot extending perpendicularly to the direction of reciprocation and through which the wire may be longitudinally fed; rst pressingy means carried by the frame 'for recprocation therewith and adapted to move the wire laterally in one direction of reciprocation of the frame; second pressing means operatively associated with the frame for reciprocation therewith and adapted to move the wire laterally in a direction of reciprocation of the frame opposite to that of the rst pressing means; and means for moving the wire longitudinally when the Wire has been moved to an extreme lateral position by the ist pressing means, said means cooperatively causing each portion of said wire to move in a U-shaped path extending in a ldirection transverse to the direction of reciprocationrof said frame whereby a first operation may be performed on a wire portion at one end of the path and a second operationmay be performed on the Wire end portion at the other end of the path.

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